A popular RSL bar first established in 1981 has closed it doors despite ongoing negotiations to save the historic space.
The Diggers Bar within the Tewantin Noosa RSL Club served its final drinks on March 3, officially closing after a lease renewal disagreement.
Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch leased the Diggers Bar space to the RSL club as an income stream to support veterans’ welfare and run the sub-branch.
Sunshine Coast News reported in February that the sub-branch had been working to present a new lease to the club, however, on March 1, the RSL club informed the sub-branch that it would move forward with its decision to close the bar.
In a letter to its veterans, the Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch Board said it was unable to come to an agreement with the club regarding the lease.
The Noosa community has been saddened by the closure, with many sharing fond memories of the venue over the years.
Murph Manthey worked in the bar for 23 years and said it had become a second home to her, much as it had for the many customers who frequented the space.
She said she first started in the RSL bistro on September 16, 2000, before moving to the Diggers Bar in 2001.
Her roles over the years included bar manager and overseeing event bookings, and she said “if the walls could talk” they would have so much to say.
“It was just so much fun,” Ms Manthey told Sunshine Coast News.
“On Fridays we had raffles, we had trivia, we had Clacka, who was our resident horse that people used to have to shoot with a Nerf gun through the butt to win money.
“People would come into the bar and say they’d never seen the atmosphere and activities we were doing in any other bar.
“For some of the locals, the Friday afternoons were the highlight of their week. They would say that to us.
“It really was the bar where everybody knew your name.
“The lifetime friendships I have made, the laughter and the tears we shed at times, will stay with me forever.”
Ms Manthey said the bar attracted regular customers over the years, and not only patronage from locals and veterans but from interstate and overseas travellers.
“We had people that would come from interstate every year. There are some that I know from the past 17 years that were now bringing their children up,” she said.
“People would even come from across the water for the Calcutta and footy tipping.”
In terms of entertainment she said her favourite live performance was from Slim Jim Phantom of the American band the Stray Cats.
“It was a Sunday afternoon session and the people who turned up for the show came in their rockabilly outfits with their hair all done up,” she said.
“It was one of those afternoons you know you were witnessing something special and you’ll probably never see something like that again.
“It gives me goosebumps thinking about it.”
The Tewantin Noosa RSL and Citizens Memorial Club was formed by the Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch on September 21, 1981, with the official opening of the Diggers Bar.
The Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch, established in 1920, continues to work to promote the interests and welfare of former and serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their dependents.
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